Western Nebraska Community
College softball sophomores Angel Council and RaVae Herrera will be teammates
for another two years after the two inked with Langston University, out of
Langston, Oklahoma.
Council and Herrera are excited
to be continuing their playing career at the next level.
“It is really exciting to be
continuing playing because a lot of people don’t get to play in college and to
continue playing is really great,” Herrera said. “It has been an honor and opportunity
to be a part of this program and to keep playing at Langston is icing on the
cake. The experience has been amazing
and I’ll never forget the teammates I’ve had and friends I’ve made.”
For Council, she is excited that
she will be playing another two years with her Cougar teammate at Langston.
“It is very exciting not just
because it is softball but I get to go with my friend RaVae. We will have fun,”
she said. ”It is going to be a major plus to have RaVae with me still because
not only am I going with someone I know, but I know I can rely on her if I need
help with anything.”
Council came to WNCC from Las
Vegas, Nev., while Herrera hails from Pueblo, Colo. The two not only were
instrumental in the teams’ 55-10 record a year ago, but the two are excellent
students. Both are Residence Life Assistants at the dorms this year.
“RaVae and Angel
bring a lot of intangibles to our program. Not only are they great softball
players, but they are great young women,” WNCC coach Maria Winn-Ratliff said. “Both
are very involved on and off the field and within our community. Both are
current RA's in Conestoga Hall and involved in various activity on campus.
It will be very hard this fall to show up to practice and not see their smiling,
bubbly faces.”
Winn-Ratliff
said they have been very successful here at WNCC.
“Being
a pitcher and middle infielder there are a lot of responsibilities that go with
those positions and these two young ladies have been able to handle themselves
in a very successful manner,” she said. “RaVae and Angel will be taken care and
even though they are leaving our Cougar program, I know that Coach
Bell and his program will take great care of them.
The panhandle will not only be losing two
great softball players that will be hard to replace, but two very special young
ladies.”
Winn-Ratliff
said Herrera and Council are going to a good program at Langston.
“Langston
University is somewhat of an unknown for me, but one of my best friends is the
new head coach and is trying to build a powerhouse program and who better to
start it with than these two,” she said. “Coach Bell is an amazing coach and
even better man.”
Last
season Council hit .373 with 12 doubles and two triples. She finished with 69
hits, 42 RBIs, and 46 runs scored. Herrera had a .932 fielding average, while
committing just 14 errors in 207 chances. She also helped turn 11 double plays.
Herrera was a double threat from the
circle and the batter’s box. Herrera batted .262 with three home runs, seven
doubles, 16 RBIs in just 66 plate appearances. From the pitching circle,
Herrera had a 2.164 earned run average with 68 strikeouts and a 14-3 record.
Herrera
and Council are just two of three sophomores for this year’s team along with
Shelby McGraw. All three are expected to be key components this season, which
is scheduled to open up this weekend in Colby, Kan., weather pending.
Both players
said WNCC has prepared them for the next level.
“My time here at
WNCC has prepared me for the next level,” Herrera said. “Coach Winn taught us a
lot of things not only on the field but important life lessons.”
Council said that she is looking
forward to Langston because Langston head coach Hosea Bell coaches just like Winn-Ratliff.
Council said that she has taken so much from the program at WNCC.
“I love the way Coach Winn
coaches and Coach Bell coaches just like that,” Council said. “The thing I will
miss most here is the community and how everyone is so close - family. At WNCC,
I could always rely on my teammates and everyone around me.”
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